Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
08:35
A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
Published on: March 17, 2015
15.8K
FGF13 Selectively Regulates Heat Nociception by Interacting with Nav1.7
Liu Yang1, Fei Dong1, Qing Yang2
1Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
Neuron
|February 7, 2017
Summary
Fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13) is crucial for detecting painful heat. FGF13 works with the sodium channel Nav1.7 to sustain nerve signals, enabling heat nociception.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Current understanding of heat nociception primarily involves thermosensors like TRPV1 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons.
- Partial impairment of heat sensation upon thermosensor loss suggests additional underlying mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novel molecular mechanisms contributing to heat nociception beyond known thermosensors.
- To identify the role of fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13) in heat sensation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mouse models with targeted gene deletion of FGF13 in DRG neurons.
- Electrophysiological recordings to assess action potential firing in response to noxious heat.
- Investigated the interaction between FGF13 and the sodium channel Nav1.7.
Main Results:
- Loss of FGF13 in DRG neurons selectively abolished heat nociception.
- FGF13-deficient neurons failed to sustain action potential firing under noxious heat stimuli.
- FGF13 directly interacts with Nav1.7, enhancing its current and membrane localization during heat stimulation, which is critical for sustained firing.
Conclusions:
- The FGF13/Nav1.7 complex represents a novel, essential pathway for heat nociception, independent of traditional thermosensors.
- This complex is vital for the sustained transmission of noxious heat signals from peripheral neurons to the central nervous system.
Related Concept Videos
01:43Thermosensation
34.2K
Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
34.2K
01:44Nociception
33.6K
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain.
33.6K
01:24Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers
1.6K
Local anesthetics (LAs) block the sodium channels of nerve trunks, sensory nerve endings, and neuromuscular junctions. Although LAs can block all kinds of nerves, the sensitivity of nerve fibers differs according to nerve types and structures. LAs are known to block myelinated fibers faster than unmyelinated ones. Also, they block pain or sensory neurons at low concentrations without affecting the motor neurons involved in muscle contractions. This helps relieve labor pain without affecting the...
1.6K
02:26NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
10.2K
The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The...
10.2K
01:12Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
8.0K
Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
8.0K
01:30Transducer Mechanism: G Protein–Coupled Receptors
6.2K
G Protein–Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are membrane-bound receptors that transiently associate with heterotrimeric G proteins and induce an appropriate response to various stimuli. GPCRs regulate critical physiological pathways and are excellent drug targets for treating diseases such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, depression, or Alzheimer's. Nearly 35% of approved drugs implement their therapeutic effects by selectively interacting with specific GPCRs.
GPCRs are also called heptahelical,...
GPCRs are also called heptahelical,...
6.2K